Niko's Tale
by WhatifStoryTeller
Summary: A different spin on Nami's backstory. What if Nami was a male called Niko? What if he joined the Arlong Pirates because he was forced to and not as an agreement? Oneshot Genderbent!Nami Genderbent!Crew Nakamaship


The small boy watched as the night went over the sea. A completed seachart laid on the desktop with a pen, freshly dipped in ink, on the side. He closed his eyes and sighed as the moon lowered itself to the ground.

This was his room ever since that monster taken over a new island.

He hasn't left this room since the transfer. "Don't come out until that chart's finished!" the voice echoed through his head. For once, he finally finished all of the seacharts of that day. And, for once he dared to open the door of his prison. He looked down the stairwell as if expecting the monster to appear once more and tuck him back inside.

Yet, no one came.

He raced out of the building into the moonlight, and soon arrived at a stream.

His feet chilled under the cold stream. The moonlight reflected off it, as well as the sea creatures underneath. Unlike the ponds within Arlong Park, these were filled with colorful life. He placed his hand under the water and chose a seashell.

"A boy?" a girl's voice echoed through the numerous trees.

He froze in place and slowly turned to his head to the sound. He thought it was the guards once again, ready to take him back into that room filled of seacharts. Instead, it was a girl with a precious smile, "Hello! I'm Nojiko!"

He felt like his voice flees into the heavens at that moment. The girl didn't mind as she took a seat right next to him. Finally, he lowered his gaze onto the small stream, "I'm Niko."

"I've seen you before." She kicked her feet up and down, making the fish scatter away from them. The girl wasn't looking at the pond; instead, she was looking at the bright moon, which was now halfway blocked by a cliff. "You were here when Arlong came."

"Yeah..." his gaze never left the stream, even though the fish he was watching moments ago already vanished from sight. Just from that name, he felt fear.

The girl noticed something was off with the boy and tried to make it right. As she tried to undo whatever she did, a thought came to her. Bellemere. "Oh...Bellemere is probably worrying about me..." she paused and bit her lip. She could already see her foster mother pacing back and forth in the kitchen waiting for her to get home. Nojiko lingered by the stream and gave the boy a second glance, "Hey, do you want to come with? We can find a spot for you to sleep tonight, unless if you want to go home."

Home...

He didn't have a home.

The last one he had was burnt to the ground by that bastard.

The girl, Nojiko, stood there as he was thinking over her invite, but her patience wasn't endless as she pulled the boy onto his feet. He glanced up at her and decided to follow. Arlong couldn't punish him now if he already finished his day's worth of work. The girl smiled and took a hold of his hand, pulling him through the woods; into another world it seemed like.

The trees slowly gotten thinner as she pulled him out into a tangerine farm. The sweet smells from the fruits compelled him closer to the trees, but the small girl dragged him to the house. His eyes widen as he looked at the little shack. It was no means as grand as Arlong Park, but the house had a homey aura around it. It felt right.

Nojiko reached forward and turned the doorknob. Within seconds he was pulled inside of the home and the door closed behind him. The small girl smiled and ran up to the woman with red hair. The two greeted each other fondly until the woman noticed Niko's presence in the home.

His lip did not dare to move to answer her, so the blue haired girl did so instead. She looked up at the red haired woman with a huge smile and asked if her friend could stay the night.

She seemed okay with the request, but like any parent, she questioned about his own family. "Is it alright with your parents?"

The two girls stared at the orange haired boy, waiting for an answer. He stared at the ground as his hair covered his eyes from their gaze. "I don't have any parents..." He confessed to the two women.

"Oh..." Bellemere uttered in understanding. She imminently turned around and lifted her arms into the air as if this was a challenge of sorts. "Let's get your bed made then!"

"What?" he lifted his head up and gazed at the red haired woman; not believing his ears. Unlike him, Nojiko was smiling as she watched her mother make a pile of blankets. The mother sighed as she gazed around the messy home and apologized for the condition; which wasn't at all Niko's problem. He was more focus on the woman allowing him to stay the night. "You don't have to do that."

She turned around and gave him a toothy grin, "I want too."

...

He placed another seachart on a pile on his desk, and raced out the door. He couldn't wait to see the two women again. Every day after their first meeting, Niko tried harder and harder to finish the charters so he had more time to spend with the two. There seemed to be no problem with Arlong ever since he started on his first outing, as long as he made it back in time before the fishman could use it as an excuse to punish him.

Niko's path was halted by Hatchan, who was walking upstairs. The only room upstairs within the tower was fishman gave a small grin at the young boy. Out of all of the fishmen, this one was always the nicest to him but he also lacked brains unlike the others. Which may be the reason he didn't fear Arlong whenever he took the time to talk with Niko, unlike the others? He tilted his head to the side and looked up the stairs. "Niko-kun, you are done already?"

He didn't even dare to look Hatchan in the eye. His smile imminently shifted into a frown. "Yeah, Arlong say I could come out after I was done with them." He stated in case the fishman was wondering why he wasn't locked inside of his room. Instead, Hatchan smiled fondly, much like Bellemere, and shifted to the side.

The octopus fishman took out a stack of papers from his pocket and handed them to Niko; saying Arlong ordered the fishman to give the papers to him. A vein appeared in Niko's forehead as he looked down at the blank seacharts. Even if it wasn't Hatchan's fault, the little boy felt like blaming it all on the fishman. He stomped on the ground and ran back inside of his room.

Maybe if he worked fast enough and didn't waste any more time, he would be able to get back down to Bellemere's in time.

His pen moved across the chart in such speeds. He tried to finish them faster, but something inside of him made him slow down to make the seachart as accurate as possible. "What...?" he uttered to himself in disbelieve. "Why?!" he shouted to the walls as he kicked the back of desk. "Why...did I become that man's slave...?" He laid down his pen. It was already pass midnight. Bellemere and Nojiko would already be in bed.

His eyelids shifted, and he fell asleep on top of the seacharter.

Arlong added more onto his caseload, and Niko hardly seen the daylights again for quite some time. Each day the pile grows bigger than the next, and each day, he would fall asleep before finishing the whole pile.

...

He stood outside of her door when the red haired woman opened it and expressed her worry about not seeing him in days. After a brief reunion, she moved over and he came inside. It was dinner time, and she even added a place for him at the dining table with Nojiko; even when he visits were halted for some time, the woman made a place for him and a made enough food if he ever came back. His bed of blankets was still standing up against the floor and wall; she even added a few other blankets to cushion it for him.

The boy took his seat between Nojiko and Bellemere. The girl was smiling at his return. The boy couldn't help but grinning himself as a plate was placed in front of him and the girl. He thanked her as he raised his fork. He loved these home cook meals, which he never had at Arlong Park. His usual meals consist of leftovers and scrapes.

Bellemere unpeeled a tangerine and laid the peels on the table. "Y-You aren't eating, Bellemere-san?" Nojiko questioned as she took a fork to her mouth.

She told the two children she was going on a diet. Her red bangs shifted as she giggled. After a moment of silence, she opened her mouth, "So...Niko..." Bellemere didn't even glance his way as she continued to peel the tangerine, "How would you feel with me as your mother?"

Nojiko's eyes widen as she stood on top of her chair. Her fork banged on the table as she looked at her foster mother; who also offered her a home. His fork clattered onto the plate as his eyes widen. Mother. The word stunned him imminently as she said it.

"Is something wrong?" she asked as if this was an everyday question and no some sort of commitment. "Come on and joined our family. I may not look like it, but I think I can handle the both of you." She stood up and placed her hands on her hips. A cigarette was between her teeth as she glanced back down at the boy.

"I...I can't..."

"Why not?"

"Arlong." He gulped when he said that monster's name, "I belong to him..."

"Belong?" the two repeated with raised eyebrows.

He remembered the night in great detail as the fishman took him away from his home village. He couldn't even look at Bellemere's eyes; so instead, he looked down at the table. "I was kept over a raid because of my skills in making seacharters..." he held his shoulder, "I'm a part of his crew..." The fabric of his shirt raised and revealed the Arlong's Jolly Roger.

Bellemere shouted, "You're only a child!" Nojiko shared the same reaction much like the mother. All of her earlier happiness faded away as she stood there shell shocked.

A boot slammed down on the table as Bellemere took a hold of a gun, "That sick bastard! I knew I should have done something when he came to these parts!" She shifted the top part of the gun as if she was ready to shot it at moment's notice.

Color drained from his face as he watched Bellemere. "No! You can't!" Niko yelled as his eyes widen. He grabbed onto her sleeve with watery eyes. He didn't want to see this woman lose her life over him. He was just a simple slave, and she already had Nojiko to look over.

He already saw enough bloodshed.

Her breath started to even out as she took a few smokes of her cigar. "Stay with us, Niko."

"Y-Y-Yes!" He cried against her blouse. The two children surrounded her as her eyes filled with water. She would have never thought she would have kids, yet now she has two. "A son...and a daughter..." she hugged the two children. "Our family's growing."

...

Genzo knocked on their door and lifted his eyebrow as a small boy answered it. He asked how Niko was, but the boy did not reply, instead the woman of red hair stood up from the table and walked in front of Genzo, "Looks like he's afraid of you," she bluntly stated.

"Afraid?! I'm not scary!" Genzo shouted as he put his foot down. Niko hid behind the wall, away from Genzo's sight. His face was scared, as well as the rest of his body. He had an untrimmed beard as well as a brown uniform. Bellemere smirked as she pointed out Niko was finding from Genzo's sight.

Less than an hour later, Genzo appeared with a pinwheel on his hat. It spun as the wind breeze pass. "See, I'm not a bad guy!" He stated as the door opened. Instead of Niko answering it, Bellemere stood in the doorway and took a whiff of her cigar.

"Nope, you look more like a creep."

Genzo's eyes widen as a frown formed on his face. He looked over her shoulder in search of the boy who was there earlier, and the question rose on his mind once again. "Actually, who is that boy?"

"My new son. Niko." She answered with a fondness.

"You...have a son!"

She walked to the back door and opened it up. Genzo followed the woman and looked outback where the two children placed. The two adults stared as Niko chased Nojiko around the tangerine trees. Both of them were smiling just like any other set of kids. Bellemere leaned against the doorframe and looked at the newest addition to the family. She told Genzo of how Niko was an orphan, so she took him in like she had done with Nojiko.

"You don't have enough space for another, Bellemere!" he shouted once again. "What about Arlong? What will happen when he comes around collecting taxes? You won't have enough to pay for yourself and those two..." He looked down onto the ground, "I can't spare any for you either..." He barely had enough to pay his own tribute to the fishman.

Bellemere patted his back as if to unease him. She told him she will think of something and how one more wouldn't be much of a problem. Genzo could only stare at the red haired woman with disbelief. Even if he tried telling her otherwise, she would not listen even for the life of her. She also told him of Niko's maps that she has seen herself; even made a comment the orange haired could draw a map of the world.

...

Arlong stormed into the village with his force of fishmen behind him. He barely gave the humans a second glance as he searched for his missing navigator. The villagers already knew the routine, much to their dismay, and lined up with their tributes in hand. They had no clue why the king of the sea himself came along.

Arlong's eyes raced through the crowd, looking for an orange haired boy, but Niko was nowhere around. "Men, collect it all." He uttered in distaste. He gave Niko too much freedom and the boy ran away from his duties as Arlong's Navigator. When he found the boy, he was going to get more than his payload.

Genzo stood up from his bent position and horded the two children into the forest, "Stay here," he ordered them.

They didn't listen.

The two ran back to Bellemere's house and banged on the door. "Bellemere-san! Arlong's here!" Nojiko pounded with such force.

"Don't worry..." the woman stated as she allowed the two back inside."I got things covered. You two will be safe." She turned and looked at Niko, "And, I'm not letting him get his hands on you again. Or else, what kind of mother am I?" She gestured her hands outward. Even in their short time together, she was fond of the orange haired boy, and Nojiko felt the same. Even if they weren't blood related, they bonded over the course of several months.

Bellemere was Niko's protection from Arlong's reign. She gave him hope, love, and a dream. He couldn't ask for a better mother, except she wasn't his mother. He stomped his foot down, "Don't say that! I shouldn't even be here! I should be in Arlong's Park, not here! I'm not your son...so don't worry about me, worry about yourselves!"

Bellemere slapped him cross his face, "We may not be blood related. But, when I said I would take you in, I meant it. I knew what was coming from it. I knew about Arlong."

Niko made eye contact with the elder woman as tears came pouring down. "B-But...you don't have enough beri...I heard from Genzo...that you had barely enough for you and Nojiko..."

"But, I have enough for you two. And that's what counts." Bellemere stopped him in his tracks with a friendly hug. She placed a faint kiss on the two children's foreheads before she left her two kids as she picked up a sack on the counter, "Today...stay inside."

BANG

Blood spattered against the walls.

A body fell onto the ground and stayed there motionless.

The two screamed.

Arlong laughed in their faces as he took back what was his.

...

He stood in front of his door with Arlong behind him. His eyes were still watery from that scene. His hands formed into fists as hatred rested in his heart for the fishman. So much he has tried to obey him, but this time, it went too far. He was able to meet those in the village, and they offered him their warmth. But the fishman took it away.

"One hundred million beri." His voice echoed through the stairwell, "That's the price of your freedom...or the cost of this island. Which one you chose is up to you."

The door closed behind Niko. His freedom away from Arlong's hands had always been his dream since the day he's got caught by the fishman, but if he took too long to acquire the money for Arlong to free the island...then who would be left on the island? Would he also take away Genzo? Nojiko? Just like Arlong did with his own parents.

And thus, he started a career on thieving from pirates. With Arlong's name attached to his name, he roamed the seas in search of treasure. No one grew close to him, believing he sworn his life over to the fishman. He didn't care how he gotten it, as long as he could take it back to his island and save it up. He deceived many people and people ended up never trusting him again. He lured unsuspecting women and leeched off of their wealth.

It was all for the greater good,_ right?_

He kept telling himself.

His stash grew each week and he was closer on reaching his goal of one hundred million beri. Then the village would be free...while he would stay as Arlong's navigator.

During his hunt for money, he somehow gained a few friends after a small dispute with the simple-minded rookie of a pirate. Each of them were unique and a set of friends he never thought he would have; Nojiko was his first and only one, who became his sister.

A green haired swordswoman who hide her gender so others wouldn't underestimate her; which Niko didn't after seeing her first battle.

A long nose girl who could shot anything in sight and telling tall tales to anyone who would listen; while Niko wasn't one to listen, he stayed to disprove her points.

A blond chef who fights with her heels and kills a serious mood whenever a male was around; especially Niko.

And then there was the strawhat captain who had a bigger belly than her rubbery mouth. Once she set her sights on a new crew member, she wouldn't let them escape; just like what she did for him. This girl made him realize something; like she has done with the other four. His dream.

With the strawhat woman, he didn't know what other comrades they would find next: a talking raccoon who loved sweets, or even a dancing skeleton with a fetish of trunks; a woman made of weapons; or even a man who could sprout hands. He didn't know what to expect after witnessing all of the weirdos he met along with the strawhat girl. He could already picture a weirdo eating ships for fun, as well as people or even their own brother.

But even though he was fond of the crew, Arlong still lingered in his brain. He ended up betraying his crew, but they followed him back and demanded him back on board. He wouldn't go, of course, until everything he worked for fell apart in front of his eyes.

"Help me..." he pleaded as the blood dripped onto the ground.

"OF COURSE!"

They didn't care about the reason he betrayed them, they only cared about him. And still put up with his love of money.

"NIKO! YOU ARE MY NAKAMA!"

The woman with a strawhat didn't care as long as he came back onto her crew as her navigator.

She reopened his dreams of drawing a world map.

She renewed his hope of a better tomorrow when she freed his village from the grips of Arlong.

She gave him something to believe in and love, as well as the rest of the crew.

And finally, he felt like he had somewhere to belong, because he was a part of their ragtag crew and he loved it.

They were the Straw Hats.

**I really did this...well, most of this was shamelessly taken from my other story, Years on a Calendar (check that out if you have time). Thanks for reading and please leave some feedback!  
**


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